A management assistance package for optimising harvester; infield transport productivity : SRDC Final report BS124S

Abstract

The two year project to develop a management assistance package for optimising harvester/infield transport productivity was completed during 1997.

The project involved several phases:- initial data collection from contractors; development of a model to utilise this data in predicting harvest-transport costs and throughput; utilisation of the model in sensitivity analysis of throughput and costs for different scenarios; and, conversion of the model to a user-friendly format for use by various sectors of the industry.

Data collection from contractors included economic data for 57 groups from Tully, Ingham, Burdekin, Proserpine and Mackay and logbook data on group operating conditions and throughput from a separate panel of contractors. In addition observations were carried out to obtain data on harvester pour rates, turn times, haulout travel speed and unloading times. Capital costs and fuel usage figures were also obtained from harvester and tractor manufacturers to supplement survey data.